2 men arrested in robberies also suspects in thefts

Two men arrested in a holdup at a corner market in West Baltimore on Thursday are suspected of robbing six other merchants on the city's west side since Aug. 5, police said yesterday.

Officers from the Western District arrested the men inside the Fremont Food Market just as the store owner, who had a handgun, squared off with one of them.

"The fast response from the police may have prevented someone from getting shot," said Capt. Michael J. Andrew, of the Western District.

Douglas Edward Curry, 19, of the 2300 block of W. Fayette St. and Timothy Joseph Furney, 36, of the 700 block of N. Carey St. were each charged with one count of armed robbery in connection with Thursday's holdup.

Captain Andrew said the two men are suspected of similar robberies at six other stores in West and Southwest Baltimore. The holdups began eight days ago, and all occurred between 1:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m.

Police said two men targeted stores run by grocers of Korean descent, but they did not know why. Stores robbed include Yun's Grocery in the 500 block of N. Calhoun St., G&S Food Market in the 1300 block of Mosher St. and J&Y Grocery in the 1600 block of W. North Ave.

Captain Andrew said the men would enter the stores and shop or have the clerk prepare some food.

"Once the store was clear, they would carry out the robbery," Captain Andrew said.

One of the men served as a lookout while the second, armed with a .25-caliber handgun, robbed the merchants, stealing between $400 and $600 in each case, police said.

The latest robbery occurred Thursday about 11:40 a.m. when two men walked into the Fremont Food Market in the 600 block of N. Fremont Ave. and demanded money from the owner, who handed over several hundred dollars and tripped a silent alarm.

The store's door is equipped with an electric locking device. Captain Andrew said the owner refused to unlock the door and pointed his own handgun at the robbers. At that moment, police appeared at the door, and the storekeeper tripped the lock for them.

Officers Kevin Killigrew, Mike Kane and April Fullwood burst into the store and arrested the two men without incident, police said.